GUILD TALK
View from HQ
By John Farrand managing director
THE MEMBERSHIP APPROVAL meetings have become a little heated here at the Guild. Not because we’re more exacting since the publication of our charter, or because applications are up due to a concerted effort to recruit retail members through various activity, least of all the Deli Retailing Code of Practice. No, the temperature has risen because we’ve been inundated with some rather maverick application forms, leading to a
news from the guild of fine food difference of opinion in the team. COVID has given us a dilemma. And it might be one to celebrate, admire and encourage. The Guild isn’t going to restructure anytime soon, but if it did it would consider the pub/restaurant/event companyturned-food-producer-or-retailer as a new membership type. We are now very familiar with the need to do what it takes for business survival and our cousins in hospitality had need more than any. Therefore, the Guild is attracting interest from a novel breed of maker and retailer. The redundant local landlord has popped on a different apron to become the local shopkeeper during lockdown too. This shift from foodservice to retail has seen a surge in food-togo entries in Great Taste. Sausage rolls, pork pies and salads are all emanating from commercial kitchens and looking for those all-important stars. And that sounds alarm bells. We’re going to have to be on our collective games as Natasha’s Law kicks in on 1st October (see page 5). Those makers
The Word on Westminster By Edward Woodall ACS
ELECTIONS ACROSS THE UK have given everyone much food for thought about the realignment of British politics. The Conservatives have dominated elections of English councils, Police & Crime Commissioners and the Hartlepool by-election. What is surprising is that the extraordinary events of the last 15 months have not dented the public’s confidence in Boris Johnson’s government. The challenges of slow lockdowns and PPE supply issues were forgotten, and the vaccine programme was rightly acknowledged for its successful and speedy rollout. For the Labour party, the return to government looks challenging. They seem to have an impossible
task of trying to win back seats in Scotland and their voter base in England is divided between affluent metropolitan voters and their traditional base in the North. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the results show a division in the electorate about Scottish Independence giving the SNP grounds to make the case for Westminster to offer another Scottish referendum and if that fails, perhaps a legal challenge in the Supreme Court opening a new constitutional debate on sovereignty. For the time being, the Conservatives are emboldened by the results and moving forward with a new legislative agenda set in the Queen’s Speech. Levelling up, sustainability, law & order and public health were common themes in the new programme. The Government also reinforced commitments to tackle obesity
and sellers have got to understand their labelling and packaging obligations which are fundamentally different to the eat-in environment.
The local landlord has popped on a different apron to become the local shopkeeper Will our new mates still be with us in 12 months? The ‘deli-lite’ in your boozer may become a fixture and they could qualify to join us. There’s also a chance that as soon as events fire up and staycations kick in, they will need to revert to type and will forget supplying or running shops. And that’s our dilemma: are they in it long term? And the conclusion to our membership meetings: embrace and foster – more deli doors open to a different tranche of food lover and it may inject some different and welcome thinking. with mandatory food labelling for the hospitality sector, proposals to deliver a complete ban on online ‘junk food’ advertising and restricting the promotion of highfat, salt and sugar products by price and location in retail settings. It seems remarkable that a Conservative Government would seek to support such interventions that both place huge burdens on business and undercut a key Conservative principle that the individual knows best. But as the elections have shown, politics is changing and so too has this Government’s appetite to reach for regulatory measures to address public health concerns. With the Health and Care Bill set to be introduced in this parliament you can rest assured that this is only the start of the actions the Government will take on obesity. Edward Woodall is head of policy & public affairs at small shops group ACS edward.woodall@acs.org.uk
Additional judging days released As the fifth judging week of Great Taste 2021 comes to an end, the halfway mark in this year’s process grows nearer. There are however several judging slots remaining that have yet to be booked, so any judges that haven’t signed up for dates or if you would like to join us again, please do so by logging in to your MyGuild portal and booking your chosen dates.
Survey results The Guild would like to thank all those who answered our SME Food & Drink Sector: The State of Our Market survey back in March – look out for the results and findings in a future issue of FFD. The Guild will be hosting some disruptor talks around its findings in Harrogate at Fine Food Show North, so put 17th & 18th October in your diaries and look out for more info in the theatre line-up for the show.
Competition win Congratulations to The Henley Larder in Henley-onThames which won The Guild's Great Taste retail promotion competition. The retailer was judged to have put on the best Great Taste display and, as a result, won the services of professional photographer Andrew Conway, who took a raft of promotional shots for the popular deli.
The Guild of Fine Food represents fine food shops and specialist suppliers. Want to join them? GENERAL ENQUIRIES Guild of Fine Food Guild House, 23b Kingsmead Business Park, Shaftesbury Road, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 5FB UK Tel: +44 (0) 1747 825200 Fax: +44 (0) 1747 824065 info@gff.co.uk gff.co.uk
THE GUILD TEAM: Managing director: John Farrand Marketing director: Tortie Farrand Sales director: Sally Coley Operations director: Christabel Cairns
Sales manager: Ruth Debnam Sales executives: Becky Haskett Sam Coleman Membership, circulation & awards manager: Karen Price Operations manager: Claire Powell
Operations assistant: Meredith White Events manager: Stephanie HareWinton Events assistant: Sophie Brentnall Financial controller: Stephen Guppy Accounts manager: Denise Ballance
gff.co.uk Accounts assistant: Julie Coates Chairman: Bob Farrand Director: Linda Farrand
Vol.22 Issue 5 | June 2021
67
